APRIL BOOKCLUB THURSDAY 28TH APRIL - 8.00PM IRISH

[susan]

Same here Claire. Looking forward to the next one.

Susan

[claire]

By the way I sent you a message this morning

[susan]

Hi Claire

Thank's just saw it now. I sent you one back.

Susan

[amandakelly]

Can't belieeeve I forgot this again! And i was really looking forward to a good chat.

Anyway, I thought pretty much the same as the rest of you that WEdded Blitz wasn't as good as Tina's preivous books.

Is this Love was my favourite one but I couldn't really get into this one. I didn't particularly like Jane and once the husband went off with the one in the catsuit, I didnt' particularly like him either. I thought the mother was annoying but I did think the gay guy wasn't stereotypical actually, he was a good friend for Jane and wasn't all airy fairy like they tend to be in some books.
All in all, not the worst, but a bit of a disappointement all the same.
Sorry I missed it everyone, it seems you all had a great time!

[claire]

Well make sure you don't miss the next one then
No idea yet what book we're doing or when it is,, we'll find out soon enough.

[susan]

Hi Amanda

Hope to see you at the next months. I thout Fred was the most annoying character. How about you?

Oh and it did get a tiresome when the mother keft saying 'dahling'!!!!!!!!

This might sound stupid but did you think the book kinda read like a play - maybe a bit theatrical in parts ie the Mother and the clothes she wore and her false eyelashes!!!!!!! Maybe a bit exaggerated in parts.

Susan

[Shirley]

What's the story with our May bookclub lads?

[Shirley]

......and is Leah away at the mo'? I haven't seen her name on posts in ages!

[susan]

Hi Shirley

I think this months book club is Sarah Webb's "It Had To Be You"!!!! It's normally on around the 28th?

[susan]

Will Lisa be at this months club?

[claire]

I've heard nothing from Lisa in a while. The bookclub is usually on a thursday night 8pm Irish time and that would then be 26th May. I think we should go ahead and talk about Sarahs book It Had To be You.

What do you lot think

claire

[susan]

The 26th it is Have you read it Claire?

[lisa]

There I was sitting at my desk working away goodo, when suddenly my ears started a-burning and I thought, theres someone talking about me!!!

He he!!!

Here I am........ sorry i havn't been on in a while but I have been sunning my fat body in Gran Canaria!! only back at work since Tuesday and had yesterday off as felt absolutly awful, picked up some sort of bug or someting and spent the last 48 hours peuking!! sorry TMI but you know how it is......!

So, yes, book club is next Thursday 26th May and we're doing Sarah Webbs new one, "It had to be you". I know some of you got copies of it already so hoping you's have got well stuck in at this stage!

Has Leah been on lately girls? Havnt been speaking to her since before i went on holiday, we havnt gone long left now, ive 8 weeks only, so leah must be 6 or 7!!! oh, the time is going so quickly and Ive absolutley nothing done!!!

AND....... I bought myself a new lap top!!!!! yayyyyyyy!!! So no more running out to internet cafes!! Well, will have to for a while yet cos have to wait for the internet connection to be put into my apartment, they said 5-6 weeks and that was nearly 4 weeks ago so must ring them today and find out what the story is! oh, will be such a a luxury having the internet at home again!!

So, any news here girls? hows everyone been? Claire or should I say GOD!!!!! well, done congratulations!! And susan I see!! so finally I was passed out!!! LOL!!!!

Okay, have a huge massive bank facility Term Sheet I need to get sorted before lunch so am going to head off and get this done girls okay.

Deligted to be back with ye all, missed you all terribly!

talk to you later guys,

L xxxx

[susan]

Hi Lisa

Great to hear from you. Hope you enjoyed your hols.

The boards have been very busy and I there's a few new members.

Did you read anything good on hols?

Susan xx

[charlie]

Hi Lisa
Great to see you back on the boards we have missed you, hope you are feeling alot better today.
You take it easy girl your always so busy
speak soon
Charlie

[Shirley]

Congrats on the God status Susan!!!

[claire]

For once I've read the book ;D and I loved it.
Wild horses won't keep me away next week.

[susan]

Thank's Shirley. ;D

[susan]

Hi Claire

It's properly the only book that I haven't moaned about on the bookclub!!!!

[claire]

When did you moan Voicing an opinion is not moaning.

[susan]

Claire, I could never say anything bad about Sarah's books I really enjoyed this one as I have all her others. You seemed to have too

We better not give to much away until it's reviewed next Thursday.

Susan xx

[Karen]

I finished reading Wedded Blitz this afternoon and I loved it. Here's my review -

Wedded Blitz is about the McCarthy family - Jane, Jim and their two children Di and Owen - who are torn apart by the lasting effects of a tragedy that happened four years previously. With the break-up of their marriage having a devastating effect on their children, Jane has enough problems to be getting on with but when a new bigger and more exclusive salon opens up just a few doors along the road from her own hairdressing salon, Jane along with her business partner Patrick have to fight to save their business from going down the drain. Plus on top of that her overbearing mother moves in with her after splitting with her own husband, Jane's Radio DJ father Declan. As Jane struggles to keep her world from falling apart another tragedy strikes the family, but maybe this is what they all need in order to focus on the important things in life...

This was a very warm and enjoyable book with lots of laugh out loud moments with a very touching and emotional ending. In fact by page three I had already managed to spit a mouthful of tea all over the place after laughing out loud over a line in the book and by the last couple of chapters I had tears running down my face, so I certainly went through a whole heap of emotions as the storyline unfolded and I'm sure you will too.

There are quite a few characters in Wedded Blitz which I find can sometimes spoil a book, but in this case all of them are well written and each of them added their own little touch to the overall plotline. From the funny one liners from the salon's new trainee Rosemary, to the banter between Jim and his best mate Fred to the hilarious mother and mother-in-law from hell, Sheila, who has to swallow her pride and get a job, the interaction between them is spellbinding.

From quite early on in the book you realise that the marriage troubles between the two main characters Jane and Jim are caused by the death of their youngest son Matt but it's not until the very last few chapters that you actually find out what happened to him and why the circumstances surrounding his death have had such a devastating effect on the rest of the family.

Although it took me about a week to read due to work and other commitments, whenever I did pick it up to read I found it unputdownable and really had to force myself to close it until another time as I was desperate to find out what would become of the salon and the characters I'd come to love.

Tina Reilly is a great writer with the ability to make you feel as if you are in the same room as the characters from the very beginning and by the time I turned the last page I felt like I was a part of the McCarthy family. I was actually sorry the story had to end.

I would recommend this book to everyone who likes to be transported away from their own lives into the fictional world of others if only for a short time.